Method of making a tool tip and tool tip

• US 6,494,714 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENTSPLY International Incorporated (Astrazeneca PLC)
• Original Assignee: DENTSPLY International Incorporated (Astrazeneca PLC)
• Inventors: Copeland, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Ralph A.
• Application Number:
  US09/490,271
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 433/86, 433/119, 606/169
• US Class Current: 433/86
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/20 using ultrasonics

Abstract

The invention provides a method of making a transducer activated tool tip, comprising, providing a substantially linear tip body having a fluid inlet end and a fluid outlet end. The tip body has an inlet end and a subgingival outlet end. The tip body is bent in a first direction. In the tip body is formed a fluid passageway internal to the tip. The tip body is bent in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction.

Claims

1. A method of making an insert for an ultrasonically activated tooth cleaning tool, comprising:

bending a solid metal tip to form a bend at a location for an opening of a passageway, and then

drilling the passageway through said solid metal tip to form a tip having a passageway having a fluid discharge orifice at said bend.

2. A method of making a transducer activated tool tip, comprising,

providing a substantially linear tip body having a fluid inlet end and a fluid outlet end,

bending said tip body in a first direction so that a centerline through said fluid outlet end intersects a centerline through said fluid inlet end at an angle greater than 5 degrees, and

forming in said tip body a fluid passageway internal to said tip, having an inlet end and a outlet end, said outlet end of said tip having a longest cross-sectional dimension of less than 0.03 inch;

bending said tip body in a second direction so that a centerline through said fluid outlet end intersects a centerline through said fluid inlet end at an angle of substantially 0 degrees,

continuing to bend said tip body in said second direction so that said centerline through said fluid outlet end intersects said centerline through said fluid inlet end at an angle greater than 5 degrees.

3. A method of making a transducer activated tool tip for contacting subgingival tooth surfaces and directing a fluid adjacent to said surfaces, comprising,

providing a substantially linear tip body having a fluid inlet end and a fluid outlet end,

shaping said fluid outlet end to form distal surfaces for contacting said subgingival tooth surfaces;

bending said tip body in a first direction so that a centerline through said fluid outlet end intersects a centerline through said fluid inlet end at an angle greater than 5 degrees, and

forming in said tip body a fluid passageway internal to said tip, having an inlet end and a subgingival outlet end, said subgingival end extending distally from a step in the outer surface of the tip and being shaped to contact said tooth surfaces, said subgingival outlet end of said tip having a longest cross-sectional dimension of less than 0.03 inch;

said passageway wall being offset from the centerline of the tip whereby a discharge orifice is formed by an edge of said passageway wall at a side of said tip,

bending said tip body in a second direction so that a centerline through said fluid outlet end intersects a centerline through said fluid inlet end at an angle of substantially 0 degrees,

continuing to bend said tip body in said second direction so that said centerline through said fluid outlet end intersects said centerline through said fluid inlet end at an angle greater than 5 degrees.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein forming of said fluid passageway comprises electric discharge machining said passageway in a cylindrical rod, beginning at the center axis of an end of said rod and continuing at an angle of less than about 3 degrees from the center axis of said rod such that the passageway forms a discharge orifice 2-8 mm from the opposite, fluid outlet end of said rod.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein shaping of said cylindrical rod into a desired shape for contacting subgingival tooth surfaces comprises machining and bending such that said fluid orifice is on a concave surface thereof to direct fluid adjacent or onto said tooth.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein forming said tip fluid passageway, comprises:

securing a cylindrical rod in a lathe such that the tail end of said rod opposite said rod distal surfaces is offset from the longitudinal center axis of the lathe; and

boring said rod such that said passageway forms a fluid discharge orifice 2-14 mm from the fluid outlet end of said tip.

7. A method of making an insert for an ultrasonically activated tooth cleaning tool, comprising:

bending a solid metal tip preform to form a bend at a location for an opening of a passageway, and then drilling the passageway through said solid metal tip preform to form a drilled tip having a passageway having a fluid discharge orifice at said bend.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said fluid discharge orifice is on a discharge side of said tip, said tip has an opposite side, said opposite side is opposite to said discharge side and further comprising

bending said drilled tip whereby a first line tangential to said discharge side outer surface of a fluid Inlet end, and a second line tangential to said discharge side outer surface of an outlet end intersect to form an angle of less than 180 degrees facing outwardly from said discharge side outer surface.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said drilled tip comprises a fluid inlet end, a subgingival outlet end, and a fluid passageway wall internal to said drilled tip, said fluid passageway wall ends at an edge providing a fluid discharge orifice formed in a discharge side of said tip, said fluid discharge orifice being in said discharge side, said tip having an opposite side, said opposite side being opposite to said discharge side, said opposite side having an outer surface which forms an angle of less than 180 degrees outwardly from said opposite side,

bending said tip whereby a first line tangential to said discharge side outer surface of said fluid inlet end, and a second line tangential to said discharge side outer surface of said subgingival outlet end intersect to form an angle of less than 180 degrees facing outwardly from said discharge side outer surface.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said fluid discharge orifice opens into a groove in said discharge side, said groove having a groove length, said groove length being less than three times as long as said average passageway diameter,

said subgingival outlet end of said tip has an outer diameter less than 0.03 inch within 0.03 inch from tee terminus of said subgingival outlet end,

said subgingival outlet end being shaped to contact subgingival tooth surfaces.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising contacting a subgingival surface of a tooth adjacent to the gum covering said tooth surface with a transducer activated tool tip having an inlet end and a subgingival outlet end, and

directing a fluid to said subgingival surface of said tooth and between said subgingival surface of said tooth and the gum in which said tooth is supported.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said subgingival end extends distally from a step in the outer surface of me tip and being shaped to contact said tooth surfaces, said subgingival outlet end of said tip having a longest cross-sectional dimension of less than 0.03 inch;

said passageway wall being offset from the centerline of the tip whereby a discharge orifice is formed by an edge of said passageway wall at a side of said tip and said step intersects said passageway wall orifice.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein a line on the outer surface of said outer wall of said tip of said inlet end adjacent to a step forms a first angle with said center axis, a line on the outer surface of said outer wall of said tip of said subgingival end adjacent to said step forms a second angle with said center axis, and said first angle in greater than said second angle.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein a line on the outer surface of said outer wall of said tip of said inlet end adjacent to and within 3 mm of a step forms a first angle with said center axis, a line on the outer surface of said outer wall of said tip of said subgingival end adjacent to and within 3 mm of said step forms said first angle with said center axis, and said lines are at least 0.1 mm apart at said step.

15. A preformed tip for making a transducer activated subgingival tool for contacting subgingival tooth surfaces and directing a fluid adjacent to said surfaces, said preformed tip comprising:

a substantially linear body portion having a fluid inlet end, a subgingival outlet end, and a substantially linear fluid passageway wall internal to said substantially linear body portion, said passageway wall extending from said inlet end along a substantially linear longitudinal center axis of said substantially linear body portion to a fluid discharge orifice formed in a discharge side of said preformed tip, said preformed tip having an opposite side, said opposite side being opposite to said discharge side, said opposite side having an outer surface, said opposite side outer surface bending away from said discharge side, said opposite side outer surface forming an angle of less than 180 degrees, said discharge side having an outer surface, said discharge side outer surface forming an angle of greater than 180 degrees.

16. The preformed tip of claim 15 formed into a transducer activated subgingival tool by bending said preformed tool so that said discharge side outer surface forms an angle of less than 180 degrees.

17. The preformed tip of claim 15 wherein said discharge side outer surface does not intersect said substantially linear longitudinal center axis, and said subgingival end of said tip within 0.03 inch from the terminus of said subgingival outlet end having an outer diameter less than 0.03 Inch,

said subgingival outlet end being shaped to contact said tooth surfaces,

a step in the surface of the outer wall of said tip between said inlet end and said subgingival outlet end,

an activating transducer connecting body connecting said tip to an activating transducer,

said fluid passageway wall having an average diameter, said fluid passageway wall having an outlet opening diameter, said fluid passageway wall opening into a groove channel having a groove channel length, said groove channel length being more than 0.5 and less than three times said outlet opening diameter, and

a fluid source connected to said tip fluid passageway and providing a flow of fluid discharging from said tip fluid passageway discharge orifice.

18. The tip of claim 15 wherein a straight line parallel to and extending from the outer surface of said outer wall of said Inlet end of said tip adjacent to said step intersects with said center axis forming a first angle with said center axis, a straight line parallel to and extending from the outer surface of said outer wail of said subgingival end of said tip adjacent to said step intersects with said center axis forming a second angle with said center axis, and said first angle is greater than said second angle by at least 0.25 degree and less than 5 degrees.

19. The tip of claim 15 wherein a first line on, parallel to and extending from the outer surface of said outer wall of said Inlet end of said tip adjacent to and within 3 mm of said step Intersects with said center axis forming a first angle with said center axis, a second line on, parallel to and extending from the outer surface of said outer wall of said subgingival end of said tip adjacent to and within 3 mm of said step intersects with said center axis forming said first angle with said center axis, and said first and second lines are at least 0.1 mm apart at said step.

20. The tip of claim 15 wherein the terminus of said outlet end of said tip has a centerline at the central axis of said tip at said terminus, and said step has a centerline at the central axis of said tip.

21. The tip of claim 15 wherein said tip fluid passageway is angularly offset from the tip longitudinal center axis such that said fluid discharge orifice is formed in a lateral surface of said tip.

22. The tip of claim 15 wherein said fluid discharge orifice has an orifice a centerline and the center point on said orifice centerline is about 0.01 to about 8 mm from the fluid outlet end of said tip.

23. The tip of claim 15 wherein said activating transducer activates said tip by sonic, ultrasonic, fluid or air means and said activating transducer is a piezo crystal.

24. The tip of claim 15 wherein said discharge fluid is saline, water or a solution comprising a medicament.

25. The tip of claim 15 wherein said tip is formed of stainless steel alloys, carbon filled polycarbonate or graphite composite material.

26. The tip of claim 15 wherein said tip has a bend from its centerline axis through an arc of from about 60 to about 90 degrees.